Couchepin wants to talk to Merkel about media agreement
At the Solothurn Film Festival, the director of the Federal Office of Culture described the EU’s stance on the Media Agreement as «extremely inflexible.» Federal President Pascal Couchepin intends to discuss the issue with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The provisionally signed media agreement with the EU has already made headlines due to its implications for TV advertising. Jean-Frédéric Jauslin, Director of the Federal Office of Culture (Bak), has now described the EU's stance as "extremely inflexible". The talks on Switzerland's participation in this agreement after 2010 threatened to become "very delicate", explained Jauslin at the Solothurn Film Festival. Federal President Pascal Couchepin wants to discuss the issue at a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the fringes of the Berlinale in February. Jauslin emphasized the value of the agreement, which grants Swiss filmmakers access to EU funding programmes: "We must be present on the international scene." At least partial Swiss participation in the Media Agreement is essential.
In December, Parliament instructed the Federal Council to renegotiate the media agreement. It wants to retain the Swiss TV advertising bans on alcohol, politics and religion (see
).
In December, Parliament instructed the Federal Council to renegotiate the media agreement. It wants to retain the Swiss TV advertising bans on alcohol, politics and religion (see
).
